The Book of 1 Timothy
A pastoral handbook for church order, leadership, and godly living.
First Timothy finds Paul writing to his young protege Timothy, left to oversee the church at Ephesus amid false teaching and disorder in worship. Across six chapters it sets out qualifications for elders and deacons, instructions for public worship, and warnings against the love of money that still guide church leadership today. Read it from 1 Timothy chapter 1.
About 1 Timothy
First Timothy is the fifty-fourth book of the Bible, written by the apostle Paul around AD 62-64 to his young protege Timothy who was overseeing the church in Ephesus, and spanning 6 chapters. Along with 2 Timothy and Titus, it belongs to the group called the Pastoral Epistles because they are addressed to individual pastors with instructions for church leadership and order. Paul writes to equip Timothy for the challenging task of correcting false teachers, establishing proper worship, appointing qualified elders and deacons, and living as an example of godliness in a congregation that included diverse demographics and challenges. Major themes include the importance of sound doctrine as the foundation of church health, the qualifications for church leaders, the proper conduct of public worship, the value of godliness for this life and the next, and the dangers of the love of money. Key chapters include 1 Timothy 2 (prayer for all people and instructions for worship), 1 Timothy 3 (qualifications for overseers and deacons), and 1 Timothy 6 (godliness with contentment is great gain). Famous verses include 1 Timothy 6:12 -- Fight the good fight of the faith -- and 1 Timothy 4:12 -- Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. First Timothy KJV Bible reading is a handbook for church ministry. Read the Book of 1 Timothy online here in full.